Sandro Chetcuti is Labour volunteer, says party CEO

Labour Party chief executive Gino Cauchi has defended construction developer Sandro Chetcuti, who is the president of the Malta Developers' Association, against reports that he was meeting building contractors at the Mile End headquarters and accepting donations on behalf of the party.

"Sandro Chetcuti is a volunteer and holds no specific role within the party. He chose to militate within the PL, as is every individual's right to do. He helps the party on a voluntary basis, such as helping organise certain activities," Cauchi told MaltaToday.

On Sunday, PN organ il-mument reported that Chetcuti was occupying an office at the Labour HQ and that, over the past months, he had met several contractors and traders.

Chetcuti, known to have financially supported both PN and Labour in the past, was this month appointed president of the Malta Developers Association.

Asked whether Chetcuti had donated money to Labour in the recent past, Cauchi said he didn't exclude that Chetcuti might have helped during fund-raising events "but not the thousands one might think."

Labour's CEO denied that Chetcuti had collected donations from contractors on behalf of the Labour Party.

The party has pledged to enact party financing laws that will keep tabs on party donors.

Confronted with the same question, as to whether he was collecting monies from contractors or others he was meeting, Chetcuti said: "I help whoever I want in any way I like".

He insisted that he occupied no specific role or office at the Labour HQ, adding that the way he chose to spend his free time was his own business.

"What I do in my free time is no one's business... and what I do is not illegal or illicit," he said, adding that the matter had nothing to do with his role in the MDA.

Asked about his role within the party, Chetcuti said what he did was "private".

"I am not employed by the government and as far as I know I'm not paid for sitting on the building regulations board."

Chetcuti said he "sometimes attended meetings at Labour but have nothing to do with contractors or the association".

He said he was not obliged to say who was present for the meetings or what was discussed during the meetings.

"I am sometimes asked to attend meetings to give advice, like I am asked to give advice in the private sector."

Sandro Chetcuti is a member on the government's Building Regulation Board.